Film Screening: Night Mail (1936)

Thursday 3 April 2008

Follow the Down Special mail train as it thunders through from Euston to Glasgow. This classic 1936 film from the GPO Film Unit has been remastered as part of a joint British Film Institute/BPMA project, and is also available on DVD from our online shop.

The film follows the train on its journey north, while the mail on board is sorted for the next morning's delivery. John Grierson of the GPO Film Unit realised that the recipients of the letters would be missing from the film, and commissioned W H Auden to write verse about them to complement the documentary footage. This poem, spoken by Stuart Legg and John Grierson, combines with Benjamin Britten's emotive score to create a compelling dramatic effect.

Running time: 24 minutes.

Event details	Film Screening - Night Mail (1936)
Event type	Film Screening
Location	The Royal Mail Archive
Date	Thursday 3 April
Time	6.30pm
Price	Free
Pre-booking required?	Booking required.  Please call 020 7239 2570 or email info@postalheritage.org.uk to book
Suitable for?	Anyone with an interest in postal and transport history, or film.
Related events	Talk: The Travelling Post Office Talk: The GPO Film Unit Film Screening: GPO Film Unit Selection Family Event: Night Mail Poetry Workshop

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